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MRT PROJECT
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Pembetonan Tol Pejagan - BrebesSejumlah pekerja menyelesaikan proyek pembetonan jalan Tol Pejagan_Brebes di Desa Rancawuluh, Brebes, Jawa Tengah, Rabu (6/1). Menurut pihak pelaksana proyek Waskita, tol Pejagan-Brebes sepanjang 22 kilometer ditargetkan selesai pada Maret mendatang. (ANTARA FOTO/Oky Lukmansyah)


Rabu, 6 Januari 2016 14:16 WIB | 142 Views
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Pembetonan Tol Pejagan - BrebesSejumlah pekerja menyelesaikan proyek pembetonan jalan Tol Pejagan - Brebes di Desa Rancawuluh, Brebes, Jawa Tengah, Rabu (6/1). Menurut pihak pelaksana proyek Waskita, tol Pejagan-Brebes sepanjang 22 kilometer ditargetkan selesai pada Maret mendatang. (ANTARA FOTO/Oky Lukmansyah)

Semarang`s old town being developed into world-class tourist destination
Rabu, 6 Januari 2016 19:16 WIB | 306 Views

Semarang, C Java (ANTARA News) - The old town of Semarang is being developed into a world-class tourist destination to increase the number of tourist arrivals in the capital of Central Java Province.

The infrastructure and old buildings in Semarangs old town are being repaired with the assistance of the Central Java provincial administration and the central government, acting Semarang Mayor Tavip Supriyanto stated here recently.

The Old Town of Semarang Revitalization Project was officially launched in front of the Johar Post office Headquarters on New Years Eve 2016.

Several businessmen from Semarang and Jakarta will also help in the old towns restoration project as they care for the nations heritage.

The central government has allocated funds for infrastructure repairs, including Rp68 billion for Merak road and Rp30 billion for Mpu Tantular road.

"We hope to make Semarangs old town a worlds heritage and not just Semarang citys pride. Therefore, we have established cooperation with the provincial and central governments to realize this project," he noted.

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo remarked that the old city is part of the worlds heritage, and therefore, it should be repaired and preserved.

The renovation will be carried out by involving the old buildings owners, including state enterprises that own some of the buildings, according to the governor.

Semarang city, one of the five major cities in the nation, is located along the north coast of Java Sea.

The old records of the city date back to the 15th-18th century A.D., and Semarang has captivating ancient and colonial monuments that still stand until now.

The citys old town is located close to its ocean harbor where tourists can still find an interesting collection of unusual buildings dating back to the Dutch colonial era and even further back to the time of the Dutch East Indies Company.

The city boasts several Chinese temples, including Sam Po Kong (Kedung Batu), built in honor of the Chinese Great Admiral Zheng He who visited the area in 1405, and the Tay Kak Sie Temple.

The Blenduk Church, a 1753 Protestant church built by the Dutch, is located in the old town called "Oudstad."

Tugu Muda, or the Youth Monument, is dedicated to the heroes of Indonesias independence struggle and is located in front of Lawang Sewu Building at the end of Pemuda Street, one of the citys major shopping streets.(*)
 
Gov't Establishes Sharia Finance National Committee

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government has decided to form a sharia finance national committee that will be headed by the President with the help of his ministers, sharia economic professionals, Bank Indonesia and Financial Services Authority (OJK) as its members.

"The [committee's] task is to harmonize legislation and sharia finance literacy," said Sofyan Djalil, head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), on Tuesday, January 5, 2016. The committee will also responsible for educating the people on and promoting sharia products, such as wakaf and zakat.

Sofyan said that many people believed that sharia finance will boost economic growth. Sofyan added that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has instructed the Cabinet Secretary to prepare a presidential decree on the establishment of the committee as soon as possible.

President Jokowi said that although the world's economy is slowing down, the development of sharia financial services sector are promising and can be good for the government. It can be seen from the continuous growth of sharia banking, sharia reksadana (mutual funds) and sharia non-banking financial industry.

"I appreciate OJK's efforts to issue a policy that will be part of the deregulation policy package for sharia banking stimulus," said Jokowi.

ALI HIDAYAT



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Railway Train in Papua to Reduce Cost of Goods: Official
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Estimated new railway range : 390 km
Estimated Cost : Rp. 10,33 Trillion


TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The development of Indonesia's railway network and the Trans Papua land road will help bring down the price of goods in the country's eastern region by up to 50 percent, an official has stated.

Director of transportation affairs of the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, Bambang Prihartono made the remarks here on Tuesday, adding that the planned development of land transport network would reduce logistic costs amounting to three percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

In the meantime, the development of sea transportation will reduce logistic costs amounting to four percent of the GDP.

Prihartono further said that the Ministry of Transportation is trying to complete a feasibility study for the Papua railway train project.

In addition to the ongoing feasibility study, the Ministry of Transportation has decided upon the first route, the Sorong-Manokwari stretch.

"We are awaiting another feasibility study which will be handled by the Public Works Ministry," Prihartono noted.

According to the director of the transportation ministry, Papua has the highest logistic costs.

"Once the railway line and the Trans Papua land road are built, we estimate that the price of cement will decrease from Rp1 million to Rp500,000 per sack," he added

:cheers:
 
Citilink Indonesia Eyes 30% Increase in Passenger Numbers
Citilink Indonesia, the budget airline unit of Garuda Indonesia, has projected 30 percent growth in passenger numbers on the back of increased flights in Java and Sumatra and eastern expansion, a company leaders has said. Citilink plans to haul 12.6 million passengers this year, rising 30 percent from an estimated 9.7 million passengers in 2015, country president director Albert Burhan said.

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Citilink Indonesia Eyes 30% Increase in Passenger Numbers | Jakarta Globe



Antam Aims for Large Scale Smelter Development in 2016
State owned gold and copper miner Aneka Tambang has set aside Rp 2 trillion ($143 million) for capital expenditure this year, finance director Dimas Wikan Pramudito said. Antam plans to use the funds to develop a smelter grade alumina refinery in Mepawah, a ferronickel smelter in East Halmahera and anode slime smelter in Jakarta.

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Antam Aims for Large Scale Smelter Development in 2016 | Jakarta Globe



Early Infrastructure Contract Signings Shape of Spending to Come
President Joko Widodo oversaw a rare January contract signing on Wednesday for a string of government infrastructure projects, a crucial part of plans to accelerate the economy this year. The president has been pushing his administration to drop the habit of delayed spending, the source of much criticism since taking office in November 2014.

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Early Infrastructure Contract Signings Shape of Spending to Come | Jakarta Globe



Pertagas Targets 44% Capex Growth in 2016
Indonesia’s second-biggest gas company, Pertamina Gas (Pertagas), is looking to increase capital spending by 44 percent this year as it moves to complete 500 kilometers of new pipelines to boost its customer base, its top executive said. Pertagas, a unit of state-owned energy company Pertamina , plans to increase spending to $325 million in 2016 from $225 million in 2015. The bulk of this amount will be allocated to new distribution and transmission pipelines.

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Pertagas Targets 44% Capex Growth in 2016 | Jakarta Globe



Indonesian Stocks Continue Rally on Wednesday
Indonesian stocks continued their rally Wednesday, on the back of positive sentiments from the recovery in China's major stock exchanges after a sharp decline on Monday. The Jakarta Composite Index, or JCI, was up 1.22 percent to 4,608.98 at Tuesday's closing. Wednesday's trading, however, was led by basic industry and chemicals stocks. The index that tracks 64 stocks in the industry gained 3.25 percent on Wednesday's closing. Consumer goods industry stocks followed, gaining 3.08 percent.

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Indonesian Stocks Continue Rally on Wednesday | Jakarta Globe
 
North Kalimantan offers seaweed to Malaysia
Kamis, 7 Januari 2016 07:38 WIB | 424 Views

Bulungan, N. Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - The provincial government of North Kalimantan has offered to sell seaweed to the royal government of Malaysia for use by certain industries that have been finding it difficult to obtain this basic material.

The plan to export seaweed from North Kalimantan to Malaysia was discussed at Sosek Malindo meeting in Bandung a long time ago, the head of North Kalimantan Provincial Marine and Fisheries Agency, Amir Bakry, said here on Wednesday.

"This will help our seaweed farmers in finding a market. Seaweeds price often fluctuates due to its abundant production but the local government does not offer any permanent solution," Bakry explained.

North Kalimantan produces six thousand tons of seaweed per month, but as far as marketing is concerned, the sector still relies on local businesses. This results in price fluctuations, with the price often plunging as low as Rp4,500 per kilogram.

With that in view, the provincial government has been seeking a better solution and encouraging Malaysia to buy seaweed from North Kalimantan, especially for use in textiles.

A bilateral socio-economic forum like Sosek Malindo meeting is also considered as a platform that could be used to find solutions to any marketing problems between these two countries.(*)
North Kalimantan offers seaweed to Malaysia - ANTARA News


Bengkulu exports Layur fish to Japan
Kamis, 7 Januari 2016 07:35 WIB | 416 Views

Bengkulu (ANTARA News) - The fisheries cooperative of the Bengkulu city has started exporting Layur fish (Trichiurus Lepturus) to many countries, such as Japan, Taiwan, China and South Korea.

Layur fish export was started as the fishing season began in November 2015, the Management of Mutiara Laut Coop, Hermansyah, said here on Wednesday.

"This Layur fish catch depends on the season which lasts for six months, and the species is not available for the rest of the year," he said at Pondok Besi fish auction, Bengkulu city.

This fish is obtained from North Bengkulu, South Bengkulu and Kaur districts.

Hermansyah could export 100 tons of Layur fish per month through the Bandung city, West Java.

"We use a cold store built by the government for this auction," he said.

The coop buys Layur fish from fishermen at prices ranging between Rp15 thousand and Rp36 thousand per kilogram, depending on the size of the fish.

The demand of Layur fish caught from the Indian Ocean is high because it if of better quality.

"There are no certain standards in case of this fish. They always accept every lot of the species we send. The problem is actually of the production being low because many fishermen still use traditional fishing gear," Hermansyah emphasized.

Layur fish could easily be identified, owing to its flat and long shape.

Various kind of Layur fish are found in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean.

Many people like it because the meat is chewy, not too fishy, not greasy, and it has easily removable bones.(*)
Bengkulu exports Layur fish to Japan - ANTARA News
 
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18 Gerbong KRL Tiba di Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok

Metrotvnews.com, Jakarta: Sebanyak 18 gerbong KRL tiba di Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, Rabu (6/1/2016). Hal ini menyelesaikan program PT KAI Commuter Jabodetabek (KCJ) dalam pengadaan KRL tahun 2015 dengan total 120 gerbong. ANTARA/Hafidz Mubarak A
 
Target overshot in investment in 2015: Investment agency
Kamis, 7 Januari 2016 15:18 WIB | 436 Views

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Head of the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Franky Sibarani said realization of investment project overshot the target of Rp519.5 trillion in 2015

"Total investment is certain to reach around Rp540 trillion exceeding the target," Franky said in Cikarang, West Java on Thursday.

He said in the last quarter of 2015, investment soared beyond expectation.

Despite the healthy performance in 2015, BKPM would not change its investment target of Rp594.8 trillion for 2016, he said.

"We never revise target as investment climate globally including Indonesia is still fragile. We would see in the first quarter of 2016," he said.

Based on data at BKPM investment in the first nine months of 2015 totaled Rp400 trillion, up 16.7 percent from Rp342 trillion in the same period in 2014, or 77 percent of the target in 2015.

Domestic investment made up Rp133.2 trillion of the investment realization in the January-September period with foreign investment accounting for Rp266.8 trillion.

Strong growth was recorded for both domestic and foreign investment in the first nine months of 2015.(*)


Target overshot in investment in 2015: Investment agency - ANTARA News
 
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Progres Proyek MRTPekerja melakukan perawatan segment tunnel (ruas terowongan) Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) di kawasan Senayan, Jakarta, Kamis (7/1). Hingga kini pengeboran untuk bor Antarareja I telah mencapai 327 meter atau tepat berada di Stasiun Senayan yang terletak di depan pusat perbelanjaan Ratu Plaza Jakarta Pusat, sementara Antareja II telah mencapai 277 meter menuju Stasiun Senayan dari Bundaran Senayan. (ANTARA FOTO/Sigid Kurniawan)


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Progres Proyek MRTPekerja memeriksa bor Antareja I yang digunakan untuk mengebor terowongan Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) di Stasiun Senayan, Jakarta, Kamis (7/1). Hingga kini pengeboran untuk bor Antarareja I telah mencapai 327 meter atau tepat berada di Stasiun Senayan yang terletak di depan pusat perbelanjaan Ratu Plaza Jakarta Pusat, sementara Antareja II telah mencapai 277 meter menuju Stasiun Senayan dari Bundaran Senayan. (ANTARA FOTO/Sigid Kurniawan)


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Progres Proyek MRTPekerja beraktivitas saat berlangsung pengerjaan konstruksi terowongan Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) di kawasan Senayan, Jakarta, Kamis (7/1). Hingga kini pengeboran untuk bor Antarareja I telah mencapai 327 meter atau tepat berada di Stasiun Senayan yang terletak di depan pusat perbelanjaan Ratu Plaza Jakarta Pusat, sementara Antareja II telah mencapai 277 meter menuju Stasiun Senayan dari Bundaran Senayan. (ANTARA FOTO/Sigid Kurniawan)

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Progres Proyek MRTPekerja memeriksa bor Antareja I yang digunakan untuk mengebor terowongan Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) di Stasiun Senayan, Jakarta, Kamis (7/1). Hingga kini pengeboran untuk bor Antarareja I telah mencapai 327 meter atau tepat berada di Stasiun Senayan yang terletak di depan pusat perbelanjaan Ratu Plaza Jakarta Pusat, sementara Antareja II telah mencapai 277 meter menuju Stasiun Senayan dari Bundaran Senayan. (ANTARA FOTO/Sigid Kurniawan)

Indonesia May See Investment Boost From China's Carmakers: BKPM

Jakarta.
Franky Sibarani, chief of Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board, on Thursday voiced his optimism over Indonesia's ability to draw more foreign direct investments from China's automotive industry, thanks to the archipelago's relatively low car ownership rate and high demand for more affordable vehicles.

“The government is trying to turn Indonesia into a production base for the [Association of Southeast Asian Nation's] automotive industry,” Franky said on the sideline of his visit to Saic General Motor Wuling’s plant in Cikarang, West Java.

Saic General Motor Wuling, a joint venture between General Motors China, Shanghai-based SAIC Motor and Liuzhou-based Liuzhou Wuling Motors, started construction of its Cikarang plant in August last year.

Franky said the company has sunk $43.5 million out of its $397.4 million investment plan into the project.

Indonesia's relatively low car ownership trend provides manufacturers and dealers the opportunity to invest in the country, he added, citing a report conducted by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers that said car ownership in Indonesia reached 77 units per 1,000 people. This compared to 397 units per 1,000 people in Malaysia.

Investment realization in the automotive industry grew 7 percent to $1.4 billion in the January-September period last year, from the same nine months in 2014, with the bulk of investment coming from Japanese automakers, which has dominated the Indonesian market.

Investment commitment in the automotive industry reached $851 million in the period, growing 39 percent compared to $611 million a year earlier.

“[Chinese investors] need a success story to increase its investment realization and we hope Wuling’s investment can be part of China’s success story in Indonesia,” Franky said.

Wuling, through its 300,000-square meter Cikarang plant will produce 120,000 multi-purpose seven-seater vehicles and automotive parts, as well as accessories.

The company has yet to unveil the price of these cars, but local media have reported the maximum price to be at around Rp 149 million ($10,681).

Chinese cars have failed to grab a significant share of the Indonesian market. Wuling’s predecessors Chery Automobile, China’s largest indigenous car maker and Geely International, failed to steal the heart of Indonesian consumers several years ago, despite it offering relatively cheap cars.

Incentive needed

Saic General Motor Wuling aims to finish construction on its plant by the end of this year.

The company is set to start commercial operations of its Cikarang plant in February next year and hopes to introduce products by July 2017.

The company has asked the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) for additional incentives, which include a faster import process for machines and raw materials in the company’s master list of capital goods and materials, according to Xu Feiyun, Saic General Motor Wuling president director.

Franky said the government will review Saic’s request after receiving the company’s investment progress report.

China dominates investment plans in Indonesia

Last year, investment plans from China alone reached Rp 277 trillion, the highest with regards to the country of origin, followed by Singapore (Rp 203 trillion) and Japan (Rp 100.6 trillion).

The investment realization ratio from China, however, only reached 7 percent of the planned Rp 277 trillion last year, or much lower than Japan’s realized 60 percent.

“Japan and China are our priority countries. We hope our marketing officers can help identify new investment plans and push investors to use BKPM’s three-hours license service,” Franky said.

Indonesia May See Investment Boost From China's Carmakers: BKPM | Jakarta Globe


Indonesia's Economy to Pick Up Pace After Bottoming Out in 2015: World Bank

Jakarta.
The World Bank is predicting faster economic growth for Indonesia this year, confident that the nation's slowdown likely bottomed out in 2015.

In its January 2016 "Global Economic Prospects" report, the multilateral lender sees Indonesia's growth accelerating to 5.2 percent on average in the 2016-18 period after dropping to its lowest rate of 4.7 percent last year.

"This assumes implementation of a reform package announced by the government in September-October 2015 to unlock investment and boost productivity growth," the report said.

President Joko Widodo's administration released a series of economic packages last year in a bid to prop up a domestic economy that was being challenged by weaker exports, slower consumer purchasing power and a weakening currency.

The World Bank's optimism echoed similar sentiments from Bank Indonesia, which forecast economic growth to rebound this year at 5.2 percent-5.6 percent from a 4.7 percent-4.8 percent forecast for 2015.

However, the World Bank's report also noted that expected weak commodity prices for this year may require Indonesia to strengthen its fiscal institutions as well as broad its trade products.

"Weaker commodity prices would exacerbate the impact on commodity exporters" like Indonesia, Malaysia and Mongolia, the report said.

"On the revenue side, there is a need to broaden tax bases" for countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, to "reduce reliance on commodity-related revenues."

The report also said commodity producers like Indonesia need to "enhance fiscal institutions to improve the management of fluctuations in natural-resource prices" to anticipate the decline in commodity prices.

Global growth

According to the report, weak growth among major emerging markets will likely continue weighing on global economic growth in 2016, but it said "economic activity should still pick up modestly to a 2.9 percent pace, from a 2.4 percent growth in 2015, as advanced economies gain speed."

"A slowdown in major emerging markets would dampen regional growth through strong trade linkages and increasingly through financial market integration. Econometric estimates indicate that spillovers could be sizable, with a one-off [but persistent] unexpected 1 percentage point decline in China’s growth lowering growth in the rest of Asia by 0.5-1.4 percentage points after two years," it said.

The World Bank said growth in China, the world's most populous nation, is forecast to retreat to 6.7 percent in 2016 from an estimated 6.9 percent in 2015.

Indonesia's Economy to Pick Up Pace After Bottoming Out in 2015: World Bank | Jakarta Globe
 
Infrastructure contracts
worth Rp 8.8t signed

Farida Susanty, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Business | Thu, January 07 2016, 5:24 PM

The government has signed agreements on 644 infrastructure project packages worth Rp 8.81 trillion (US$632.4 million) early, spurring confidence for speedier budget spending and economic growth improvement this year.

The signing, witnessed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, was done simultaneously in Medan, North Sumatra; Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan; Surabaya, East Java; Manado, North Sulawesi; and Jayapura, Papua, representing the projects in the cities and surrounding areas.

Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said the number added to the existing 382 multiyear projects packages worth a total of Rp 25.8 trillion.

“So with this signing, we hope for budget spending of 5 to 6 percent by the end of January,” Basuki said in a speech on Wednesday, adding that more project contracts worth Rp 9.47 trillion would be signed by the end of this month.

It will be a significant improvement on last year’s budget spending, which only reached that figure by May or June, becoming a cause of pessimism over local economic activities.

The infrastructure packages include road development as part of the trans-Papua highway and in border areas, as well as the rehabilitation of an irrigation network in Padang Pariaman in West Sumatra.

The contract signing followed the early opening of bids by the ministry since August year as it strived to improve budget disbursement.

The ministry has put on bid a total of 5,344 project packages worth Rp 42.74 trillion by the end of this year, from the total of 10,752 packages worth Rp 73.41 trillion.

The ministry’s most strategic projects for this year, with a Rp 104 trillion budget allocation, consist of the construction of eight dams worth Rp 9.1 trillion, including Rukoh Dam in Aceh and Sukamahi Dam in West Java, to provide irrigation for an estimated 38.4 hectares of land, among other functions.

Other projects are the trans-Java and trans-Sumatra highways and regional drinking water systems in 13 cities.

The ministry also surpassed its budget spending target last year by recording 94.4 percent budget disbursement by the end of the year, more than the 93 percent target.

Jokowi applauded the ministry’s move, saying the new pattern of spending was welcome to break the more than decade-old pattern in which spending commenced only in October.

“I support this kind of pattern and will urge other ministries to follow suit,” he said.

Jokowi stated that the projects were crucial to boost economic growth, which saw a six-year low last year at 4.7 percent in the past few quarters.

“If we begin in June, the trust of investors and people will drop and growth will stagnate or even decrease,” the President said.

Jokowi also urged the ministry to use local content in the projects and involve more than 90 percent local contractors on each project.

“I want the circulation of money to spread in villages and regional areas instead of just Jakarta,” he added.
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- See more at: Infrastructure contracts worth Rp 8.8t signed | The Jakarta Post
 
Indonesia accelerates railway development

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akarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia needs to develop its railway network in an effort to advance its transportation sector, promote economic activities and ensure connectivity across the country.

With that aim, the government is accelerating the development of railway infrastructure in various parts of the country to promote connectivity. The ventures include railway projects in Java, Sulawesi, Papua and Sumatra which will ensure better connectivity not just among the people but also regions.
i went to west sumatra during christmas holiday and has indeed witness the development of western part of trans sumatra (the western trans sumatra was started at west sumatra, while the eastern was started at north sumatra).
at the moment they are revitalizing the old railway system. which mean once finished one can take a train ride from padang all the way to payakumbuh.

imagine how amazing that will be if they manage to open all of the old colonial train stations all over west sumatra without actually changing the structural shape (some are still there)
 
Blacksmith
The Jakarta Post | Business | Wed, January 06 2016, 5:42 PM


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A blacksmith at Gawok market in Sukoharjo, Central Java, works on a machete blade on Monday. Customers can have knives, machetes, crowbars or hoes made in a few hours at the market, with prices starting from Rp 25,000 (US$1.80) per piece. Gawok market is a traditional market, which opens only on market days according to the Javanese calendar.(JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi)
- See more at: Blacksmith | The Jakarta Post

Stocks brace for ‘January
effect’ as optimism emerges

Prima Wirayani and Anggi M. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Business | Wed, January 06 2016, 5:45 PM
- See more at: Stocks brace for ‘January effect’ as optimism emerges | The Jakarta Post
 
Government to establish special body to develop new, renewable energy
Kamis, 7 Januari 2016 18:13 WIB | 529 Views

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government is planning to set up a special corporate body to develop new and renewable energy in several parts of the country.

The body will be similar to the state electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said noted after a limited meeting on electricity at the Vice Presidential Office here on Thursday.

He stated that the government is still studying the model of the corporate body. It can be a subsidiary of PT PLN, and that investors will not harbor doubts about it.

With the creation of the special corporate body, the government will provide subsidy to achieve the economic price of new and renewable energy, he remarked.

He affirmed that the accelerated development of new and renewable energy will significantly contribute to energy supply in the long run and will ensure energy security and self-reliance in energy.

"The PLN-like body for new and renewable energy will help conventional PLN deal with a limited amount of budget funds to develop energy in the upstream sector and resources to achieve the governments target," he pointed out.

Law No. 30 of 2007 on Energy and Government Regulation No. 79 of 2014 on the National Energy Policy underscores the need to accelerate the development of new and renewable energy.

Through the national energy policy, the government is seeking to increase the share of new and renewable energy in the national energy mix by 23 percent in 2015. The target is four times as much as the level achieved at present.

Among the breakthroughs achieved by the government in the development of new and renewable energy are forming and managing an energy security fund, developing centers of excellence for clean energy in the country, and launching a new and renewable energy program to supply electricity to remote areas.

To achieve the target of 25 percent of 35 thousand megawatts from new and renewable energy, the government has built wind turbine plants in Samas in Yogyakarta and Sidrap in South Sulawesi; a geothermal power plant in Sarulla in North Sumatra; and a biomass electrical power plant in Surabaya in East Java.(*)
Government to establish special body to develop new, renewable energy - ANTARA News
 
Maleo lovers help conserve endemic bird`s population
Kamis, 7 Januari 2016 23:39 WIB | 6 Views
Pewarta: Otniel Tamindael
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Maleo

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The participation of maleo lovers in conserving the endemic bird in the Indonesian province of Central Sulawesi has proved to be effective in preventing the bird from becoming extinct.

Indonesias island of Sulawesi is home to the maleos chicken-like creatures with highly unusual reproductive behaviors which have been threatened with extinction for decades.

The loss of nesting sites and harvesting of the maleos huge, nutritious eggs has drastically reduced their numbers, but participation by conservationists, local villagers and farmers has begun to reverse the maleos fortune, with more than 10 thousand chicks being hatched and released over the past 15 years.

Sudayatna, the head of Lore Lindu National Park (LLNP), remarked in the Central Sulawesi provincial city of Palu that the park has involved local villagers and farmers in maleo breeding through a semi-natural system.

"Indeed, during this time we have been involving the local community in maleo breeding activities in our effort to preserve the endemic bird," Sudayatna said in Palu on Wednesday.

He explained that the participation of maleo lovers in maleo breeding activities was very helpful for the Lore Lindu National Park in its effort to preserve the maleo birds, which had been threatened with extinction.

Sudayatna stated that since the implementation of the maleo breeding system, public awareness about not hunting for maleo eggs has increased, and poaching activities have declining year after year.

According to him, the presence of the maleo lovers community in Sigi district and at the maleo breeding site has provided a major contribution to the conservation in the LLNP area.

The maleo breeding site in the Lore Lindu National Park will continue to be developed in order to become an interesting tourism attraction in Central Sulawesi.

Maleo, well known as the iconic bird in the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, is found nowhere else in the world.

The birds have been fully protected under Indonesian law since 1972 when it was formally recognized that their population was threatened due to overharvesting of their enormous eggs, coupled with the loss and fragmentation of their native forest habitat.

The LLNP is a protected forest area that is a habitat for numerous rare species, including 77 bird species endemic to Sulawesi.

The national park is designated as part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves, and in addition to its rich wildlife, the park also contains megaliths dating back to more than 1300 A.D.

LLNP Head of the Technical Subdivision, Ahmad Yani said in Palu recently that the maleo breeding site at Saluki village in Sigi District is semi natural.

"Therefore, we will boost maleo breeding through the use of an incubator system to accelerate and increase the population of this bird species that has become the mascot of Central Sulawesi," Ahmad emphasized.

He noted that maleo breeding has been ongoing at Saluki village since the 1980s, and till now, the population of the endemic bird in the region has increased significantly.

Previously, there were only 100 maleo birds, but through the breeding system, the LLNP has managed to release more than one thousand birds into their natural habitat.

Ahmad remarked that after the LLNP built a system of semi-natural breeding, they have now been able to release several little maleo birds into the wild every year to increase their population.

The maleo is a large, black and white bird, with a prominent medium-length tail. It weighs around three kilograms and is 25 centimeters long. As its alternative name, maleo megapode suggests, it has characteristically large feet.

This striking bird has a distinctive bony, dark casque on its crown, a yellowish face, and a bare pale bill. Its thighs are black, and the belly white, with pink hues on the breast.

The egg of the maleo bird is large, about five times larger than the domestic chicken egg. Each bird can lay about eight to 12 eggs a year, and the nesting season is particularly between May and October.

Poaching of its eggs, coupled with the loss of habitat, are pushing the Maleo species toward extinction.

The maleo is a ground-dwelling bird endemic to Sulawesi. The eggs are buried in communal warm sand nesting areas. It is considered endangered partly due to egg harvesting by the local people.

"If the incubator system for breeding can be realized in 2016, then the population of maleo birds will increase further," he said, adding that the maleo breeding site in LLNP attracts several foreign tourists every year.

The Lore Lindu National Park is home to 227 bird species, of which 77 are found nowhere else in the world.

The park provides a habitat for almost all of Sulawesis endangered animal species, such as the mountain anoa, a dwarf buffalo once common but now rarely seen; babirusa, an animal resembling both pig and hippopotamus; tarsier, the worlds smallest primate; tonkean macaque; and marsupial cuscus.

Tourists visiting Central Sulawesi can plan a visit to the Lore Lindu National Park for trekking to see the megalith stone culture in Bada valley, Besoa valley, and Napu valley.

Achmad Yani from Palu said infrastructure and supporting facilities at the park are being improved to draw more domestic and foreign tourists.

"We are performing maintenance work on several facilities at the national park in order to attract as many foreign tourists as possible," Achmad said.

He noted that the park was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and was formed through the unification of three existing reserves: the Lore Kalamanta Nature Reserve, the Lake Lindu Recreation and Protection Forest, and the Lore Lindu Wildlife Reserve.

The park, which is located south of the town of Palu, is spread over 2,180 square kilometers, with altitudes ranging from 200 to 2,300 meters above sea level.

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Maleo lovers help conserve endemic bird`s population - ANTARA News
 

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